How to Eat Yourself Sleepy
Popular belief has it that the amino acid tryptophan (of turkey fame) makes you drowsy. The body needs it to build serotonin, a relaxing neurotransmitter, and melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone. However, it doesn’t trigger changes on its own. To prod your body towards dreamland, combine foods that contain tryptophan with carbohydrate-rich foods. Carbs help tryptophan cross the blood-brain barrier and induce sleepiness.